Category Archives: Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is celebrated each year by millions of people in the US and across the world. It’s common for people in romantic relationships to arrange meals, give gifts or send flowers on the 14th February.

What Are The Most Common Valentine’s Day Symbols and Gifts?

Today, the most common symbols of Valentine’s Day are hearts, flowers and pictures of Cupid. The colors red and pink are used for almost all Valentine’s day material. Cupid, who in Roman mythology shot people through the heart, is a common symbol. This is because people in love are sometimes said to have been struck by Cupid’s arrow.

Popular gifts for Valentine’s Day include:

Teddy bears

Chocolates

Flowers

Jewelry

It’s also common for couples to spend Valentine’s Day evening together. Restaurants, movie theaters and hotels are all popular destinations. Weddings are also often held on the 14th February.

In the past, Valentine’s Day was mainly for couples in love. Today, many people give gifts to friends and family as well as romantic partners.

Why are Valentine’s Day Cards so Popular?

The tradition of sending cards on Valentine’s Day dates back at least four centuries, but it’s only in the last 100 years that it’s become so widespread. Millions of Valentine’s Day cards are produced and sent each year to partners, friends and family.

A legend says that this practice started because St. Valentine wrote a card on the eve of his death, which was signed “From Your Valentine.” Even though this story cannot be confirmed, sending cards is now a major part of Valentine’s Day celebrations.

Is Valentine’s Day an Official Holiday?

Valentine’s Day, despite its popularity, is not a public holiday in the United States. Public workers are required to work on the 14th and it’s uncommon for people to get the day off in private industries too. This is the same in many other countries, including the United Kingdom.

How is Valentine’s Day celebrated Around the World?

People in different countries celebrate Valentine’s Day in a variety of ways. These include:

In Brazil, Valentine’s Day is called “the day of the Enamored” and is celebrated on June 12th. Chocolates, flowers and other gifts are exchanged between couples.

In Vietnam, couples wear the same color or style of clothes on Valentine’s Day.

Japan celebrates Valentine’s Day twice. On February 14th, chocolates are given to boys by girls. Boys then give cookies to girls they like a month later on March 14th.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated by millions of people each year. On the 14th of February, many people buy flowers and gifts for loved ones. But when did this tradition start? And why do so many people celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Who is St. Valentine?

Despite St. Valentine being one of the most well-known saints, little is known about his history and how Valentine’s Day began. February has traditionally been a month of romance, which goes some way to explaining the date of Valentine’s Day.

Part of the problem is that there are three official saints with the name of Valentine. All of these saints were martyrs, and the Valentines of Rome and Terni are officially honored on February 14th. A third saint called Valentine, who was martyred in Africa, is also mentioned in records.

One of the most likely legends is that Valentine was a priest who lived sometime between 300 A.D. and 400 A.D. in Rome. When the Emperor forbid single men from getting married because he thought they made better soldiers, the legend says that Valentine continued to marry couples in secret. Eventually he was discovered and put to death.

An additional part of this story is that Valentine, on the eve of his execution, sent a card to himself after falling in love. This is said to have been the first Valentine’s card, and was signed “From your Valentine.” Whether there’s truth to this story, or any of the legends surrounding Valentine’s Day, is difficult to tell.

When Was Valentine’s Day First Celebrated?

Valentine’s Day became associated with romance during the Middle Ages. It’s likely that the day was recognized before this, but probably not in a romantic way. It wasn’t until the 15th century that the day began to be associated with love between couples. During this time the first Valentine’s cards were sent, and lovers expressed their affection with flowers and other gifts.

Mass production of Valentine’s Day cards didn’t begin until the 19th century. Today, the holiday is surrounded by a huge commercial industry. It’s estimated that 25% of all cards sent each year are sent on Valentine’s Day.

It’s not known why the 14th February was chosen to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Some people believe this was the anniversary of the saint’s death. Others believe it was chosen by the church to interfere with a pagan ritual that occurred on the 15th.